lindsaylhunter's reviews
165 reviews

Kala by Colin Walsh

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dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What starts as a slow burn propels itself into an ever-quickening jumble of events which ultimately unfold into tragedy. I devoured this one in record time.
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The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel up until the very end, where I feel it wrapped up far too quickly. Otherwise a speedy and enjoyable little read.
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Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

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challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

After a lifetime of embodying difference, I have no desire to be equal. I want to deconstruct the structural power of a system that marked me out as different. I don't wish to be assimilated into the status quo. I want to be liberated from all negative assumptions that my characteristics bring. The onus is not on me to change. Instead, it's the world around me.

Impactful. Reni Eddo-Lodge knows how to balance her lived experiences with the facts of the matter. It's no mean feat to create something so readable when you're handling incendiary topics like race, class and gender. I particularly loved the middle chapters regarding intersectionality and (white) feminism.
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Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

If bland were a book. How this is a five-star read for so many people I'll never know.
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

There's maybe a homeliness to this novel which lent itself to the rating I gave it. I imagine it could be a frustrating read for those not from this part of the world who are having to Google every other reference.
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My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another book centred on an unlikeable and unnamed protagonist where not a whole lot actually happens, but I loved it.
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Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I don't even care enough about this book to review it properly. Slow, tedious, and leaves you with more questions than answers.
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Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Bit twee for me.
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This one has been a mainstay on my TBR for years now and I'm so glad I finally got round to reading it. A very bleak yet humorous glance at institutional living where you can't help but feel sympathy for some truly terrible people. Gave me OITNB vibes and maybe that's one of the reasons I loved it so much.
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Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

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challenging funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love how the author tackled such a heated topic with so much dark humour and reverence. Overall, just a super fluid and enjoyable read!
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